The Washington critic., 1887-01-10
HOME RULE WHAT is IT.


Enron Crrrc. Win you please inform your
readers what Home Rule Isi There has
been a great deal sal about II IN the papers
in public meetings, and even In Congress
during the past two years, but have seen
no definition of it as yet. | had % sort OF
an idea that Il meant, as applied TO ireland
Tor instance, that the Irish people should
have the right OF legislation In reference to
their own local Affairs, aud the selection OF
their local rulers and lawmakers; but Jldg
ing from the rcmarh, uf ih' district papers
In connection w;h Tire rllu'mcnt OF The
Recorder of Dtcls if seems il mean simply
that whom somebody elise appoints onr o1l
cials for us, tncy -htll h' selected from tl'
district -'ouiy tld uui nl.hu; moro
must coulcs tu i.H liHc confusing go
ordinary mind, nnI 70 tH-ra,gesc proper
Tor The pro's GO eul ehfpu t'r Public On the
subject. l. sort o' ionst iYtbr nu8ophish
cuted, rs though thcro were two Kinds ot
Home Ru'u- tie duue.ilf article lor CN.l1
siye use Ia the District oi tuiuubu and the
imported Irish lrt!r'r .ps Cine use VI Congress
and Gemagosuos generally.
A COS ,sr RrN1au,
We infer from the tone Of the above
communication that tha writer looks
upon "IIomc Rule, with the rule left
out as It Is in the District Of CoIum.
bia, good deal as be would upon the
play of Hamlet without a Hdm'd
But TuE CMrlC is oC those who be.
lievc that even crust is better than no
loaf at all.
- We do not expect, nor do we desire,
the same degree of Home Rule FOR the
District that Mr.. Parnell asks for Ire.
land. we are perfectly willing that the
general government should pay half or
more of our local expenses. About
three.fourths would be fairer proper.
tion. AT any rate, so long as the Treas
ury honors the draft of the Commis
sioners for half the amount of the
annual estimates the people of the
District can afford TO bear patiently
with that provision of the Constitution
which reposes in Congress an eXclu.
sive power of legislation. There are
certain officers of the Distric,-Thc
Board Of Commissioners, perhaps, and
some others, including a delegate in
Congress-that might safely enough he
elected by popular vote, but this
opens too broad question for present
discussion.
"IIome Rule as applied to the Dis
trict means more than our correspon.
dent seems willing to admit, though
the term itself is possibly misleading,
or course 1t does not signify here wha,
it does In Dublin.
1t is rather convenient form Of eN.
preston, to denote n general desire on
the part of the citizens, that although
they have no voice in their own gov
ernment, u certain Difference should be
paid to their wishes in the election OF
District officials. only this aud
nothing more" suggests our cor.
respondent, but isn't this something
really worth conlending for?
The Territories, even with the right
of local legislation, have always in.
sisted on an application of the looa
principle in the appointment Of terri!
torial officers. Is 1t not entirely nat
ural and proper that the District
which has no legislative powers what
ever, should demand the same thing
Were the President TO fill the Fed
cral offices of Massachusetts, with citi
zens of Texas or California; appoin
some Florida politician to the Chicago
custom. house or import cOlore.
Democrat from Mississippi 10 run tn,
Albany postollice, there would be
revolution and the Administration
would be upset. Why Does any
body need TO be told why!
But the people of the District o
Columbia are Of the same flesh an
blood as the people of the States. The.
have the same local pride and loca
prejudices, and similar local interests
which for similar reasons they hol
should be administered through slmi
larly localized officials. II is a lthivcr
sal instinct that governs in such mai
ter., and If our correspondent or any
body else can tell us why this locl
feeling should be ignored, or disregard
ed, or spat upon, in the District q
Columbia, while 1t is recognized every
where else, we shall be a thousau
times Obliged for the information.
Is his speech before the Bushes
Mems Democratic Association Of Ne,